Leon Turnbull Photography

Last weekend was a bust. I put my back out bending down to feed the darn cats. Ugh! It bugs me because I have been doing my back exercises regularly. I rested all week, and was ready to hike the next weekend.

Spring has not started yet. I am very happy about that, though most people around here are not. After a brief respite from the monster February, the rain has started up again in California, and looks to continue for another couple weeks at least. Hoo yah! It was a rainy Saturday morning (again), and I was out hiking in it. I was hoping to go on three different hikes, but I over estimated how hard the first one would be. It was hard! But it was awesome.

I drove down this dirt road for 8 miles. I was surprised the road was in very good condition and I could drive this far on it. I expected a lot of mud, perhaps a washout or slide or tree down. Well, there was a washout on the road, actually, but it was at the 8 mile mark. From that point, it was only another two miles down to the waterfall. It should be an easy hike, right? Ha!

It was easy hiking down the road, but the last part involves a huge descent off trail, through the brush, through the poison oak, and down the steep mountain to the creek and waterfall. It was steep and it was cliffy, and once I got down close to the falls, it became very brushy, and there was a lot more poison oak. I could see the falls through the trees, but I could not see any way down to it. I was about to give up. I decided I would try one more route. This one was golden. I was able to get through the brush, and down to the creek level, right near the bottom of the falls. This is called French Creek Falls, 50 ft. high, and it was roaring! I could not believe how much water was flowing in the creek. It is not a very big creek (normally), but it sure was big today. It was spectacular, but very difficult to photograph because of all the mist from the falls. I am sure I touched some of that poison oak, but I have hope I do not get the itch.

What goes down must go back up. It was a tough climb back up to the road. Then an easy hike back to the car? But wait … I was not quite done yet ….